MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence came together in Milwaukee Friday to have their stories heard. 

A joint effort by advocacy groups presented for the sixth year, "Untold Stories." People who witnessed or survived sexually related crimes wrote about what happened. Then students in art programs at several schools read the stories and created artwork based on them. 

Those who attended the event say these stories need to be shared publicly. 

"We have over 72 graduates of the writing workshop itself and we have a lot of our post-graduates that come back year after for this event and then we invite members of the public to help us celebrate survivors that thrive and to help us break the silence and it's just always a very moving event for everyone," said Rachel Monaco-Wilcox, CEO of LOTUS Legal Clinic. 

The artwork will also be shown at the state capitol in Madison next month. It will be on display to mark Crime Victim's Rights Week which runs April 8 - 14th.